Rise & Shine: Students with physical disabilities plan to speak out about NYC’s admissions process

SPEAKING OUT New York City’s school buildings are notoriously inaccessible to students with physical disabilities, significantly reducing many students’ options when they apply for middle or high school. A handful of students are hoping to raise awareness about that problem at a public forum Thursday night. Chalkbeat

LOGISTICAL HURDLES The city’s dramatic expansion of early childhood programs could exacerbate inequalities that have cropped up among private providers after the city’s first expansion of pre-K, including the ability to compete for students. Chalkbeat, Center for New York City Affairs

NEST SEEKERS City officials are expanding the ASD Nest program, an approach to serving students with autism alongside general education students that is also explicitly tailored to the autistic students’ needs. New York Times

PARENTAL CONTROLS A Success Academy principal banned a parent from her school after she cursed in front of students — a dispute that has caused the parent to pull one of her children from the charter network. New York Daily News

VIRTUAL EXPANSION Success Academy, New York City’s largest charter network, isn’t planning on opening schools outside the city anytime soon. But it hopes to share its model with schools across the country by launching an “Education Institute” that offers online access to its curriculum and teacher development strategies. The 74, New York Daily News, New York 1

SPEED CAMERAS Opinion: A bill in the state legislature that would expand the use of speed safety cameras in New York City schools zones should be a no-brainer. New York Times

BILL BUFFET As the legislative session winds down, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan is trying to exact concessions on charter schools in exchange for extending Mayor Bill de Blasio’s control of the city’s schools. WNYC

Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and Susie Miller Carello, executive director of the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, offered their thoughts on the charter school fight and how it might play out in the final days of the session. City & State

Opinion: New York City Councilman Corey Johnson argues the benefits of mayoral control are clear: from fostering innovation, rising student performance, and greater accountability. The Villager

FAIR FUNDING After vowing to boost school budgets, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office said shortfalls in state aid kept him from completely fulfilling that goal. DNAinfo

HOMELESS STUDENTS About twice as many four-year-olds living in shelters got a seat in a pre-K program this year, partly because the city changed its policy to hold seats for them. New York Daily News

DOLLARS AND CENTS New York spends more money per student than any other state, nearly double the national average. New York Post

DIVERSITY PLAN Opinion: As city officials continue to solicit ideas about how to create more integrated schools, they should look to the charter sector as a potential model. The 74

SWELTERING SCHOOLS Some of the largest school systems in the country have classrooms without access to air conditioning — including New York City — which can have adverse effects on student performance. The 74

STUDENT SINGERS Tottenville High School’s student choir created a music video of their performance of the Queen classic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Staten Island Advance